Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi PSL Tips: Talat tasty at big numbers

Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi
Friday 3 February 14:30
TV: live on Sky Sports

Kings have batting worries

Karachi Kings were the pre-tournament favourites. They have suffered three defeats out of three.

It is true that they have batted first in each of them. Yet the heavy toss bias is no excuse when in two games they managed only 124 and were knocked over for 113. And the 170 they posted against Lahore, would you believe, was actually below tournament average.

Batting has been the problem. No joy, then, that Chris Jordan could be available after England exploits. Using Mohammad Nabi at No 3 is indicative of their worries, too.

Probable XI: Sharjeel, Babar, Clarke, Nabi, Yamin, Gregory, Farhan, Imad, Jordan, Umaid, Illyas

Livingstone we presume

Zalmi were beaten by Lahore on Wednesday. They had the toss in their favour but just couldn't keep a lid on the Qalandars hitters. They were not helped by some very poor fielding.

So a target of 200 was stiff. And they were under pressure as soon as Hazratullah Zazai fell off the third ball. They were never really in the hunt.

The good news is that Liam Livingstone could well be available to replace Zazai. Saqib Mahmood's quarantine may also be up. They just got a hell of a lot stronger.

Possible XI: Livingstone, Kamran Akmal, Talat, Haider, Shoaib, Rutherford, Cutting, Wahab, Qadir, S Mahmood, Irshad

Pitch report

Before Quetta-Islamabad on Thursday, more than 170 has been posted in 15 of the last 25 at Karachi's National Stadium and in 15 of those both teams scored 160 or more. The massive toss bias held at the start of the tournament but the chaser has won the last three - six out of nine have been won by the side batting second. In the last 34 PSL games at Karachi, 26 have been won by the chaser.

The easy pickings on runs has come to an end. Sportsbook now go 8/11 for both teams to score 170 or more.
Previously we were getting 10/11 about both notching 160. Bet on the special markets here.

Zalmi superior

An early odds show suggests this is going to be a choice affair with the toss winner (and therefore the team that chases) shortening to around the 1.855/6 mark.

We hope it's Zalmi. We have them down as the better outfit. With Mahmood in their ranks, though, they are not out of it if they have to post a score.

The Kings are so reliant on their top three (and we include Joe Clarke in that rather than Nabi) that a tyro pacer like Mahmood is their worst nightmare. If he nips a couple out Zalmi could make them pay.

Tops value

Hussain Talat batted at No 3 last time out so it is a surprise to see him listed at 15/2 for top Zalmi bat. It's a price we have to take although we note that Livingstone is not listed so he could go off even bigger.

Not surprisingly, the 22/1 that he tops for the match is overpriced so we can't ignore it. Babar Azam has been boosted to 9/4 for top Kings bat. That's a price on win rate. There's nowt wrong with the 7/2 that he tops for the match, either. Bet on these markets here.

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